I’ve been wondering why sport and race cars use very wide tires for improved grip. Friction is as far as I’m aware a function of a coefficient and pressure. So, with wider tires that pressure should reduce no? Why do fast cars then use wide tires?
In: Physics
Rubber(and other materials) has its limit in friction until the surface just tears appart from the surface under and you get a burnout. (Shear constraint)
Increasing the surface helps spread the force that would tear away the rubber and thus makes the tire take more torque before making a burnout
ELI5: an eraser. You can put all you strength to drag it and it will make big chip or tear in chunka instead of gripping what is under if it is stronger.tape 2 and 3 erasers together and you will have to use more force to get the same result.
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